Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait will open Gulf Cup 27 in Jeddah on September 23, but the biggest pre-match story is not simply about the tournament hosts facing Kuwait.
It is about who is not in the Saudi Arabia squad.
Salem Al-Dawsari, the Saudi captain and one of the country’s most recognizable footballers, is absent from the Gulf Cup squad despite having represented Saudi Arabia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He is not the only major omission.
Saud Abdulhamid and six other players who featured at the World Cup were also left out of Georgios Donis’ Gulf Cup selection.
That means Saudi Arabia are entering their opening match with a markedly different group from the team fans watched earlier in the year.
And there has been another late development.
Midfielder Musab Al-Juwayr was removed from the Gulf Cup squad on September 20 for disciplinary reasons. The Saudi national team did not provide further details about the matter.
So as Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait approaches, the most interesting question is not simply who will win.
It is which players can take advantage of the opportunity created by such a changed squad?
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Why Is Salem Al-Dawsari Missing From Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Cup Squad?
Salem Al-Dawsari is one of the biggest names absent from Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Cup 27 squad.
The Saudi Football Federation’s official announcement on September 16 named 26 players for the tournament, but Al-Dawsari was not among them.
He was also not the only World Cup player left out.
Reports identified eight Saudi players who appeared at the 2026 World Cup but were omitted from the Gulf Cup group: Salem Al-Dawsari, Saud Abdulhamid, Ahmed Al-Kassar, Ali Majrashi, Ali Lajami, Ayman Yahya, Saleh Al-Shehri and Khalid Al-Ghannam.
The important point for this article is not to invent a reason for every omission.
The official squad announcement confirms who was selected.
It does not provide a detailed explanation for each individual absence.
That leaves the clearest story: Saudi Arabia are using a substantially different group for Gulf Cup 27.
For fans who watched the national team at the World Cup, the change will be immediately noticeable.
Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Cup Squad Has Changed Again
The original Gulf Cup squad contained 26 players.
But that number changed before the opening match.
On September 20, Musab Al-Juwayr was removed from the Saudi Arabia squad for disciplinary reasons.
Reuters reported that the national team said the decision was taken jointly by the technical and administrative staff, but no specific details about the disciplinary matter were provided.
That means the current Saudi Arabia squad should not simply be described using the original September 16 list.
The change is particularly relevant because Al-Juwayr had been part of the team’s Jeddah training camp.
For supporters trying to work out the opening XI against Kuwait, the latest squad change removes another midfield option.
There is also no need to turn the situation into a larger controversy.
The confirmed information is enough:
Al-Juwayr is out of the Gulf Cup squad, and the Saudi national team has not publicly detailed the disciplinary issue.
Who Are Saudi Arabia’s New Gulf Cup Players?
The absence of several World Cup players has opened the door for a new group.
Donis brought eight new names into the Gulf Cup squad:
- Hamed Al-Shanqiti
- Mohammed Mahzari
- Zakaria Hawsawi
- Mohammed Al-Qahtani
- Saleh Abu Al-Shamat
- Abdullah Al-Salem
- Rayan Hamed
- Hammam Al-Hammami
Their inclusion is one of the biggest reasons this Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait match deserves more attention than a standard tournament opener.
These players are not simply squad numbers.
They are part of the next group Donis can evaluate in a competitive tournament environment.
And the timing is significant.
Saudi Arabia are hosting Gulf Cup 27 in Jeddah, meaning the new-look group will begin its campaign in front of a home audience.
Mohammed Mahzari and the New Saudi Group
Mohammed Mahzari is one of the newer names to watch.
His inclusion gives Donis another defensive option as the coach reshapes his tournament squad.
The interesting question is not whether Mahzari is guaranteed to start.
He is not.
Instead, supporters should watch how Donis uses the new players once the official lineup is announced.
The same applies to Hamed Al-Shanqiti, Zakaria Hawsawi, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Abdullah Al-Salem, Rayan Hamed and Hammam Al-Hammami.
A Gulf Cup opener can provide an important competitive test for players who were not part of Saudi Arabia’s World Cup group.
Saudi Arabia Training Update in Jeddah
Saudi Arabia have been preparing for Gulf Cup 27 at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Recent training has included possession work, tactical exercises and set-piece practice.
On September 19, the team worked on one-touch passing before moving into tactical exercises and finishing with set-piece training.
The following day, the team worked on possession and tactical exercises with an emphasis on both defensive and attacking phases. Training was then scheduled to become closed to the media as the Kuwait match approached.
That change in training access is normal in the final stages before a competitive match.
It also means supporters will have fewer public clues about Donis’ final lineup.
The official team sheet will therefore be especially important.
What Does the Saudi Squad Change Mean Against Kuwait?
The biggest tactical question is how Donis replaces the experience and familiarity provided by the omitted World Cup players.
Salem Al-Dawsari is particularly significant because he is both an experienced attacker and a major name within Saudi football.
But replacing one famous player does not necessarily mean finding one identical replacement.
Donis has several attacking and midfield options.
Sultan Mandash, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Abdullah Al-Hamdan, Firas Al-Buraikan and other players can all contribute to the team’s attacking structure.
The important thing is to avoid assuming that one player will simply inherit Al-Dawsari’s role.
The system could change.
The responsibilities could be distributed across multiple players.
That is one of the most interesting things to watch when Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait begins.
Can Kuwait Exploit Saudi Arabia’s Changed Squad?
Kuwait arrive in Jeddah with their own tournament preparation underway.
The Kuwaiti team travelled to Jeddah before Gulf Cup 27 and prepared for the opening match against the hosts.
Kuwait also played a friendly against Yemen during their preparations, while the squad continued training in Jeddah ahead of the Saudi Arabia match.
Recent reports said Kuwait’s training group was complete with no major absences reported at that stage.
That creates a legitimate tactical question:
Can Kuwait take advantage of Saudi Arabia’s unfamiliar combinations?
There is no need to predict that they will.
The point is simply that a changed Saudi team can create different spaces, movements and relationships on the pitch compared with the World Cup lineup.
Kuwait’s challenge will be identifying those patterns quickly.
Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait: The Opening-Match Pressure
This is not an ordinary group-stage game.
It is the opening match of Gulf Cup 27.
Saudi Arabia are the hosts, and Jeddah will stage the tournament from September 23 through October 6. The official Saudi schedule lists the Kuwait match for September 23 at Alinma Stadium at King Abdullah Sports City.
That puts immediate attention on the Saudi team.
The hosts will want their new-look squad to settle quickly.
Kuwait, meanwhile, have the opportunity to make the opening match uncomfortable by testing Saudi Arabia’s defensive organization and midfield structure.
The first 20 minutes could therefore be particularly revealing.
Will Saudi Arabia dominate possession?
Will Kuwait press high?
Will Donis use a conservative structure before increasing the attacking numbers?
Those are questions the match itself can answer.
Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait Match Details
Competition: Gulf Cup 27
Group: Group A
Match: Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Kick-off: 9:00 PM Saudi Arabia/UAE time
Venue: Alinma Stadium, King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
The official Saudi Football Federation schedule confirms the 9:00 PM kickoff.
Saudi Arabia’s Group A Schedule
Saudi Arabia are in Group A alongside Kuwait, Oman and Iraq.
Their group-stage schedule is:
September 23
Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait
9:00 PM
September 26
Oman vs Saudi Arabia
9:00 PM
September 29
Saudi Arabia vs Iraq
8:30 PM
All three fixtures are listed by the Saudi Football Federation as Gulf Cup 27 group-stage matches.
That makes the Kuwait match important as the first part of a three-game group-stage sequence.
There is no need to look beyond the opening game.
The first lineup and performance will give supporters the first competitive picture of Donis’ Gulf Cup team.
What to Watch When the Lineups Arrive
1. Who replaces the missing experience?
The first thing to check will be the attacking and midfield structure.
With Al-Dawsari absent, the distribution of attacking responsibility becomes a major storyline.
2. Which new players start?
The eight new faces are among the biggest reasons this match is interesting.
If one or more start against Kuwait, it could be an early indication of how much Donis trusts the new group.
3. How does Saudi Arabia handle the midfield?
With Al-Juwayr no longer available, the midfield selection deserves particular attention.
The final XI will show which combination Donis trusts for the opening game.
4. Does the team look different from the World Cup side?
This is perhaps the simplest question for supporters.
The Gulf Cup squad is different.
Will the football look different too?
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The Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait story should continue after the team sheets are announced.
Follow the match for the confirmed lineups, live score, goals, cards, substitutions and major moments.
Play Live Streaming & Score — Live Sports & Football →
Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait: The Bigger Story
The opening Gulf Cup match gives Saudi Arabia an unusual opportunity.
The team is playing at home.
The tournament squad contains several new faces.
Several recognizable World Cup players are missing.
And now there has been another squad change involving Musab Al-Juwayr.
That makes the opening lineup almost as interesting as the opposition.
For Donis, the match is an opportunity to see how this group functions in a competitive tournament environment.
For Kuwait, the challenge is to deal with a Saudi side whose combinations may look different from those seen earlier in 2026.
And for supporters across the Gulf, Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait provides the opening window into Gulf Cup 27.
The biggest question is therefore straightforward:
Who steps up for Saudi Arabia without Salem Al-Dawsari?
The answer will begin to emerge when the official lineup is announced.
Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait FAQ
When is Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait?
Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait will be played on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
What time is Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait?
Kick-off is scheduled for 9:00 PM Saudi Arabia time, which is also 9:00 PM UAE time.
Where is Saudi Arabia vs Kuwait being played?
The match will be played at Alinma Stadium at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Why is Salem Al-Dawsari missing from the Gulf Cup squad?
Salem Al-Dawsari was not included in Saudi Arabia’s announced Gulf Cup 27 squad. The official squad announcement confirms his absence but does not provide a detailed individual explanation.
Is Saud Abdulhamid playing in the Gulf Cup?
No. Saud Abdulhamid was also omitted from the Saudi Arabia Gulf Cup 27 squad.
What happened to Musab Al-Juwayr?
The Saudi national team removed Musab Al-Juwayr from the Gulf Cup squad for disciplinary reasons. No specific details about the disciplinary matter were publicly disclosed.
Who are Saudi Arabia’s new Gulf Cup players?
The eight new faces in the announced squad were Hamed Al-Shanqiti, Mohammed Mahzari, Zakaria Hawsawi, Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, Abdullah Al-Salem, Rayan Hamed and Hammam Al-Hammami.
Who is Saudi Arabia’s coach?
Georgios Donis is the head coach of the Saudi Arabia senior national team.
What group is Saudi Arabia in?
Saudi Arabia are in Group A with Kuwait, Oman and Iraq.
When does Saudi Arabia play Oman?
Saudi Arabia face Oman on September 26 at 9:00 PM in their second Group A match.
When does Saudi Arabia play Iraq?
Saudi Arabia face Iraq on September 29 at 8:30 PM in their final Group A group-stage match.
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